Prof. Hanson is a member of the Long Island Groundwater Research Institute and is pursuing studies with members of the institute on soil chemistry, plant chemistry and groundwater chemistry. He is also involved in studies of the geology of Long Island. The following are MS and Ph.D. thesis research and graduate and undergraduate research projects on Long Island. He was selected as Man of the Year in Science in December 2005 byThe Village Times Herald, The Port Times Record, and The Times of Middle Country.

Geng Xin did a Strontium Isotope Study of the Peconic River Watershed, Long Island, New York for his MS thesis

Sonya Boguslavsky determined the cation exchange capacity organic distribution coefficients and mineralogic composition of sediments in the unsaturated zone of Long Island for her MS thesis

Patti Bleifuss undertook a study of the sources of nitrate in the Northport area of Long Island for her MS thesis

Stacy Ann Lawrence used dendrochronology and the geochemistry of tree rings on Long Island to evaluate the effect of acid rain on Long Island's soils and trees for her MS thesis

Jian Zhong used Ar-Ar ages of single grains of muscovite and biotite to determine the provenance of loess on Long Island for her MS thesis

Vesna Kundic studied the age and provenance of loess on Long Island for her MS thesis

Jennie Munster used geochemistry to evaluate the source of nitrate in groundwater in Suffolk County, New York for her MS thesis

Xuan (Sunny) Xu studied the Chemical signature of a sewage plume from a cesspool, Long Island, New York for her MS thesis

Soma Das (Sen) studied the Origin and evolution of Dry Valleys south of Ronkonkoma Moraine for her MS thesis

Lisha Zhou evaluated the use of NEXRAD radar data for determining the annual precipitation patterns on Long Island for her MS thesis

Caitlin Young evaluated the extent of denitrification in groundwater in the Northport area ofSuffolk County for her MS thesis

Waldemar Pacholik used erratic boulders on the Stony Brook campus to map the basement in the Long Island Sound for a graduate research project.

Ashaki Rouff described nitrogen recycling in pore water and sediment at the base of a standing recharge on the Stony Brook University Campus for a graduate research project

Danielle Mulch re-evaluated the geomorphology of the Port Jefferson tunnel valley and outwash fan for a graduate research project.

Jessica Nienstedt used well logs and outcrops to develop the stratigraphy of the Stony Brook campus for a graduate research project.

Carrie Friello modeled the anatomy of a crevasse fill ridge on the Stony Brook campus as a graduate research project.

Sean Tvelia characterized the glaciotectonic development of the Selden Hill associated with Ronkonkoma Moraine for a graduate research project.

Shantao Zhang considered the origin of Coastal Plain Ponds in New York and New Jersey for a graduate research project.

Pushpa Jha evaluated the impact acid rain and fire on the pH of soil in the Dwarf Pine Plains for a graduate research project.

Anthony Caniano investigated an undefined chlorinated volatile organic compound groundwater plume on the North Shore of Long Island for a graduate research project.

Fang Liu studied the amount of ammonium adsorption in a sewage leach field on Fire Island for a graduate research project.

Patrick Criscuola estimated the volume of the Port Jefferson outwash fan for a graduate research project.

Tenzin Lhundup interpreted the geology of Ashley Schiff Park Preserv on the Stony Brook campus for undergraduate research project.

Matthew Bauch studied the soil pH in a woodland on the Stony Brook University campus as an undergraduate research project.

Nicholas Kilb modeled ponding in two flooded recharge basins on the Stony Brook campus as an undergraduate research project.

Long Island Geologists

Prof. Hanson is the coordinator for the Long Island Geologists meetings. These include the Conference on the Geology of Long Island and Metropolitan New York in April, and occasional field trips.

Earth Science Research Project

Prof. Hanson is promoting research at the secondary school level through the Earth Science Research Project. The major goal of this project is to enhance the research experience in secondary level Earth Science courses. GEO 589 Research for Earth Science Teachers is intended to provide Earth Science teachers or students in the MAT in Earth Sciences program an opportunity to obtain research experience.